By Ann Y. Robinson
As she graduates, Samantha “Sami” Noteboom, a double major in agricultural business and animal science, will receive the Distinguished Service Award from the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Student Council.
Third-generation Cyclone
The third-generation Cyclone came to Iowa State University following in the footsteps of her father and grandfather. On the way, she detoured to take advantage of a great scholarship offer at a community college, but she knew she was eventually headed to Ames.
As a transfer student, Noteboom quickly got involved in campus life. Since then, she has been active in CALS Ambassadors, participated in intramural volleyball and basketball, and worked in laboratories on and off campus. In addition, she has helped coach a high school softball team and worked weekends at a cattle farm. In the midst of it all, she has excelled academically.
“Samantha is a well-rounded student that has shown great leadership, innovation, achievement, inclusiveness and ambassador characteristics during her time at Iowa State,” said Kelsey Powell, Noteboom’s academic advisor in animal science.
Noteboom said her family has been her major influence. “Growing up, it was just expected that we work hard, take time to enjoy life and give back as much as we can.”
Wisdom for busy students
Noteboom said her secret to juggling academics, service, work and fun may be that she has a hard time “sitting still for very long.” Also, growing up, she was used to managing farm chores before early morning sports practice and school. She was active in church, 4-H and FFA, and played softball, volleyball and basketball.
Noteboom has some wisdom to share with other busy students:
- Pick your clubs – don’t try to do everything,
- Add things to your plate slowly,
- Map out your days and set goals for yourself within that structure, and
- Take time to call home.
“Family is my home base and inspiration. When things get stressful, it really helps to talk to them or find opportunities to be together and get a hug. My dad, especially, taught me when you decide to do something difficult, you can get through it if you stick with it,” she said.
That attitude has served Noteboom well in her research experiences.
“The last two years I have really challenged Samantha with research projects, and at every turn she has met those challenges with more grace and maturity than I have ever known any student to possess,” said Jennifer Wilson-Welder, a supervisor at the National Animal Disease Center, Agricultural Research Service, where Noteboom started out as a lab tech and then was selected for a national ORISE internship in Antimicrobial Resistance and Infectious Disease.
An 'actual scientist'
“One of the projects I put her on was isolating bacteria from some bovine hoof samples,” Wilson-Welder said. “To come in week after week to re-streak plates to isolate a handful of bacteria from a mixed, unknown population takes a determined, patient mentality. All the while she asked engaging, thoughtful questions about the next steps. She also showed real leadership in assisting other summer interns, who were often older and more advanced academically. She helped them get started in their research tasks, find summer housing and get established in Ames. Here, we cannot say enough good things about this exceptional student.”
The appreciation is mutual. “Jenny has been the best boss ever,” Noteboom said. “As I earned trust, I got to have a lot of responsibility and independence. It was exciting to have a sense of the whole process involved in becoming an ‘actual scientist.’ You see what you do really matters, and you want a good outcome.”
Noteboom’s original plan was to become a large animal vet, but she is keeping her future options open. “Research has changed my perspective,” she said. “I want to do work that impacts livestock and the industry. After graduation, I plan to take a step back to figure out what path that will take.”